1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal, and more particularly, to a side hinge, folder-type mobile communication terminal wherein a side hinge of a second body attaches into a center hinge arm of a first body. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for preventing a breakage of the second body by locking a hinge-reinforcing member of a prescribed shape to the side hinge arm.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Recently, the demand for mobile communication terminals (“terminal”) has risen due to convenience of use. The terminals have been reduced in size and have been provided with multi-functions to meet user's demands.
Terminals include a bar-type terminal (an early model having externally exposed number and function keys without a separate case), a flip-type terminal having a case configuring a body and a second case separately attached to the body, a folder-type terminal having a second body hinged on an upper surface of a first body, and a slide-type terminal having a slide cover slide on a terminal body.
As mentioned in the foregoing description, the functions of a mobile communication terminal have expanded to include e-mail reception, video viewing, camera, etc. The size and weight of a terminal also has been reduced to enhance portability. In meeting these requirements, folder or slide-type mobile communication terminals have become more popular. In particular, a wide-screen LCD can be viewed if the folder or slide-type mobile communication terminal is open. The folder or slide-type mobile communication terminal is advantageous for its small size.
FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram of a folder-type mobile communication terminal having a center hinge structure according to a related art; FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram of a folder-type mobile communication terminal having a side hinge structure according to a related art; and FIG. 3 is a magnified perspective view of the folder-type mobile communication terminal having the side hinge structure shown in FIG. 2 to explain a rotational problem with the second body.
Referring to FIG. 1, a center hinge, folder-type mobile communication terminal consists of a first body 1 and a second body 2.
A keypad 1a, including number keys and various function keys, is provided to an upper surface of the first body 1. A microphone 1b is provided at a lower end of the upper surface of the first body 1. A pair of side hinge arms 1c are provided to an upper end of the upper surface of the first body 1 to be spaced apart from each other. An antenna 1d is provided to a top end of the first body 1.
A center hinge arm 2a is projected from a center of a lower end of the second body 2. An LCD window 2b is provided on the second body 2, and a speaker 2c is provided at an upper end of the second body 2.
The first and second bodies 1 and 2 are rotatably hinged together in a manner that the center hinge arm 2a is placed between a pair of the side hinge arms 1c to enable the second body 2 to rotate within a predetermined angle range.
Referring to FIG. 2, a side hinge, folder-type mobile communication terminal consists of a first body 10 and a second body 20.
A center hinge arm 10c is projected from a center of an upper end of the first body 10. A pair of side hinge arms 20a is formed at both sides of a lower end of the second body 20. The first and second bodies are rotatably hinged together in a manner that a pair of the side hinge arms 20 are placed at both ends of the center hinge arm 10c, respectively, to enable the second body 20 to rotate within a prescribed angle range.
Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, in the side hinge-type, if the second body 20 is forced open by an unnecessarily excessive force to unfold the terminal, the engaged part between the center hinge arm 10c of the first body 10 and each of a pair of the side hinge arms 20a is widened to generate a gap in between in the vicinity of an area ‘A’ indicated by an arrow shown in FIG. 3.
However, in case that an unnecessary tensile force keeps being applied to the engaged part to open the second body 20, the engaged part keeps getting wider to eventually break the side hinge arms 20a of the second body 20.